Traction device



s. THOMPSON TRACTION DEVICE April 1, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1956 ATTORNEYS April 1, 1958 y B. s. THOMPSON 2,828,735

TRACTION DEVICE Filed June 19, 1956 3 Sheets Sheet 2 .2 7 9"- 3 INVENTOR! flaw/v S. 7Z/0MPs0/v amx w ATTORNEYS April 1, 1958 s. THOMPSON TRACTION DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 19, 1956 INVENTOR BEL 701V 3. fi/0Mpso- ATTORNEYS United States Patent Q TRACTION DEVICE Belton S. Thompson, Whiteville, N. C.

Application June 19, 1956, Serial No. 592,283

9 Claims. (Cl. 128-75) This invention relates to what is generally called a traction device for use in applying tension to the neck and back of persons for Whom such treatment is necessary. Such treatment is generally necessary for persons suffering with arthritis deformans and similar afflictions wherein the person is unable to walk in a fully upright position since he is unable to straighten his back and hold his head erect. People affiicted in this manner may in many cases, by use of this traction device, be able to overcome their body deformity and be able to walk fully erect again. For those whose body deformity is too far advanced to be overcome, the traction device will usually prevent further deformity and in many cases afford some measure of relief.

In many instances, patients find it inconvenient and expensive to go to a physician for treatment which may necessitate many and long visits to the doctor. This is both expensive and time-consuming. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which is simple and inexpensive and well within the price range of the average sufierer who can use it in his own home instead of having to be treated by a physician at his ofiice.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind in which the parts are adjustable to people of different height and wherein the tension on the different devices may be regulated as desired.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a traction device which an unaided patient may readily manipulate to position the parts on his body for a treatment and thereafter easily remove the parts when the tr atment is completed.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind which is relatively light and quickly moved out of view and stored in some inconspicuous place in the home after being used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which, although light in weight, is sturdy in construction and durable.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which 'Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device when not in use, and with some parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a partial view looking from the rear of the device;

Figure 3 is a side view of the device showing it in position when being used;

Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to Figure 3, but without a patient in the chair.

In the drawings, numeral 9 broadly indicates the chair and 10 the chair seat which rests upon legs 11. The legs 11 may be formed and secured to the bottom of the chair seat in any suitable Way but, as shown, the legs on each side of the chair are formed in pairs from any suitable tubular material which is bent into inverted U-shaped legs which are secured as by screws 12 to the bottom of the chair seat. An arm post 13 is provided at one side of the chair seat and the lower end of this arm is bent inwardly and secured to the bottom of the chair seat in any suitable way as by a bolt 7.

2,828,735 Patented Apr. 1, 1958 ice The upper end of the arm post 13 has a hook portion 14 formed integral therewith for a purpose which will later appear. Chair back rest supports or posts 15 are secured to the rear side of the seat by being bent inwardly as shown at 16 and are suitably secured to the bottom of the chair seat as by screws or the like. These posts extend upwardly and are connected by a lower cross bar 17 and an upper cross bar 18 in any suitable manner as by welding. At their upper'ends the posts 15 are provided with elongated slots 19 through which wing bolts 20 extend and suitably engage a back rest 21 of the chair. The elongated slots permit vertical adjustment of the back rest 21 on the posts 15 to permit the chair to be adjusted to comfortably receive the patient therein.

A tension applying member shown in the form of a substantially U-shaped member having sides or legs 22 and 23 and a connecting portion 24 is provided with its legs pivoted at 8 on the ends of the upper cross bar 18. One of the legs, such as 23, extends forwardly beyond the cross bar 18 as viewed in Figures 3 and 4 to serve as an operator lever 25 by which the person in the chair may move the parts from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4. The forward end of the arm 25 is preferably provided with a hand grip 25a formed from any suitable material such as rubber or plastic. The hand grip 25a also serves to cover the forward edge of the arm 25 to cushion the impact in the event a person accidentally walks into the arm when the same is horizontally disposed.

When in the latter position, the forward end of the arm 25 engages the hook 14 and is held therein by a slidably mounted pin 26 extending transversely through the top portion of the arm post beneath the hook 14. The pin 26 is preferably provided with an enlarged back end and an enlarged front end to prevent the pin from being displaced from the arm post.

Clamps 27 are suitably secured to the portion 24 of the U-shaped member and resilient means 28 in the form of springs each have one end secured to the clamps and the other end to shoulder straps 29. The shoulder straps 29 may be provided with buckles 30 so that the length of the straps may be adjusted to change the tensionon the springs and the holding pressure on the shoulders of the patient when in use.

A hollow post 31 (Figure 2) is suitably secured as by welding to the central portions of the cross bars 17 and 18. a supporting rod 32. This rod is vertically adjustable and held in adjusted position by winged bolt 41. This rod is also bent over forwardly at its upper end and has suitably secured thereon a clamp 33. A resilient member 34 in the form of a spring is suspended from the clamp and has suspended from its lower end a head piece comprising a cross bar 35 to the ends of which are attached a strap 36. A second strap 37 is attached midway down on the strap 36. Attheir lower ends, the straps are lined with pads 38 for engagement at the back of the head and under the chin of the person using the equipment.

To prevent the patient from slouching in the chair in order to receive the full benefit of the traction, straps 39 are attached to the posts 15 and extend forwardly with a buckle 40 to fasten them around the waist of the patient.

In operation, when a person is in the chair, the straps 2% are first positioned around the shoulders and the arm 25 will be then pivoted upwardly to engage the hook 14 and thereafter the pin 26 will be moved underneath the arm to prevent disengagement of the same. In this position the springs 28 will be placed under tension and the patient will be held erect in the chair. Now, the straps 39 are connected together by the buckle 40 to in its upper end this post receives the end of prevent the patient from slouching in the chair. Thereafter, the head piece will be positioned so that the strap 37 engages under the persons chin and the strap 36 engages the base portion of the head. These straps 35, 37 are under tension by the spring 34. The tension of this spring has previously been predetermined by the positioning of the rod 32 relative to the hollow post 31.

While the apparatus has been shown in use with both the shoulder engaging straps and the head support used at the same time, this is not essential. The device may be used to engage only the shoulders as, for example, young people who have a tendency to stoop. By using the shoulder straps for a short period each day, as when studying, the persons posture can be greatly improved. Also, the device can be used to support only the head.

If no treatment of the neck is necessary, the supporting post 32 may be removed and only the chair portion with the shoulder straps 29 in use. Obviously, likewise, if only the head is to be supported, the straps 29 may rest free of the shoulders and only the head supporting straps used. When not in use, if desired, the back portion 21 as well as the supporting post 32 may be removed. The chair may then be stored in a relatively small storage place. Thus, from the description and the illustrations, the operation and the purpose of the device should be apparent.

The equipment is simple, is not heavy and may be readily set up in use in a few minutes and may be disassembled and stored likewise in a very few minutes. This is quite important since it enables the user to set the chair up and use it as long as desired and quickly remove it out of sight and store it in a convenient place.

Since the parts are relatively simple, easily assembled and inexpensive, they are therefore well within the cost range of any person who finds such traction equipment necessary.

In the drawings and specification therehas been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A traction device comprising a chair having a seat and a back rest, a post secured to the chair and extending upwardly above the back rest and overlying the seat, head engaging straps resiliently supported from the upper end of the post for applying traction to the neck of a patient seated in the chair, a pivotally mounted tension applying member connected to the back of the chair and adapted to extend rearwardly therefrom in substantially a horizontal plane when in normal operating position, and resiliently supported shoulder straps secured to the end of said tension applying member remote from the chair whereby upon the shoulder straps being positioned on a patient, the shoulders will be resiliently pulled rearwardly to aline the back of the patient with his neck.

2. A traction device according to claim 1 wherein body straps are connected to the back of the chair to engage the waist portion of the patient to aid in maintaining the back of the patient against the back of the chair and in alinement with the neck to receive the fully benefit of the treatment.

3. A traction device comprising a chair having a seat and a back rest, a post secured to the chair and extending upwardly above the chair and overlying the seat. resilient means secured to the upper end of said post above said seat, head engaging straps supported by said resilient means for applying traction to the neck of a patient seated in the chair, a substantially U-shaped member pivotally connected to the back of the chair, and second resilient means connected to the end of the U-shaped member remote from said chair, shoulder straps secured to said second resilient means, and means on the chair for locking said U-shaped member in substantially horizontal position whereby upon the shoulder straps being in engagement with the shoulders of the patient, the second resilient means will resiliently maintain the back of the patient in alinement with his neck.

4. A traction device comprising a chair having a seat and a back rest, a vertically adjustable post secured to the back of the chair and having a forwardly bent upper end overlying the seat, a spring having one end secured to the bent over portion of said post, head engaging straps secured to the other end of said spring for applying traction to the neck of a patient seated in the chair, a tension applying member pivotally connected to the back of the chair and normally extending outwardly therefrom in a substantially horizontal plane, a pair of springs connected to the outer end of said tension applying memher, shoulder straps secured to the inner ends of said pair of springs and means on the chair for normally maintaining said tension applying member in a locked horizontal position whereby upon the shoulder straps being positioned on the shoulders of a patient, the shoulders will be resiliently urged rearwardly to aline the spine of the patient with his neck portion.

5. A traction device according to claim 4-, wherein means are provided on said shoulder straps for adjusting the same to thereby vary the rearward pull exerted on the shoulders of the patient by said springs.

6. A device of the kind described comprising a chair having back supporting posts carrying a vertically adjustable back thereon, a pair of cross bars connected to said posts, connected together arms pivotally attached to one of said cross bars and extending rearwardly, resilient means supported by said arms, shoulder engaging straps attached to said resilient means, and an arm post on said chair seat having a hook portion into which one of said arms may be moved to apply tension to the shoulder straps when the same are engaging the shoulders of a patient seated in the chair.

7. A traction device of the kind disclosed comprising a chair having back supporting posts and a back vertically adjustably secured to said posts, a substantially U- shaped pivotally mounted member supported by said posts, springs secured to the medial portion of said U-shaped member, shoulder supporting straps attached to said springs, an arm post on said chair, and means on said arm post for engaging said U-shaped member when it is pivoted to a substantially horizontal position to tension said springs when the shoulder straps are engaging the shoulders of a person sitting in the chair.

8. A device of the kind described comprising a chair with a seat having supporting legs secured thereon, back supporting posts secured at the rear of the chair seat, a vertically adjustable back member secured to said posts, a cross bar attached between said posts, body supporting straps secured to said posts for engaging around the body of a patient, second cross bar between said posts, a U.- shaped member pivoted intermediate its end to ends of one of said cross bars, springs secured to said U-shaped member, shoulder straps secured to said springs, an arm post having a bent over end adapted to engage one arm of the U-shaped member when the U-shaped member is pivoted into a horizontal position, and meanson said arm post for holding said arm in said bent over post end whereby said straps when in engagement with the shoulders of a person in the chair will be maintained under tension by the springs.

9. An invention as claimed in claim 8 wherein means are provided on said straps for adjusting the length there of to thereby vary the tension placed thereon by said springs when in use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

